New York City has received some 200,000 immigrants in the last two years, to whom it has provided shelter and other services, according to Mayor Eric Adams.
Adams noted Tuesday that New York has received immigrants “more than any other city” since Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott began sending buses with immigrants who had just crossed the border in protest of Democratic President Joe Biden’s immigration policy.
Of that total, more than 65,000 are still in the public shelter system, a stay that the Adams administration has now limited to 30 days for singles and 60 for families with children.
Because of the influx, which is still continuing – 1,200 arrived last week – the city has been forced to rent hotels and erect giant tents for immigrants.
The city, which is obliged to provide shelter to those who request it by court order, also provides them with food, medical services, education for the children, and legal assistance to apply for asylum and work permits.
According to what transpired on Tuesday, during the weekly meeting of the mayor and deputy mayors with the press, when the sending of immigrants began in 2022 (the date on which Adams also became mayor), there were 45,000 New Yorkers in the shelters.
“Currently there are 120,000 people housed (counting homeless plus immigrants). This triples our shelter system in two years,” said Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.
Vice Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom said she expects the executive order signed Tuesday by President Joe Biden limiting the flow of asylum seekers across the border to the city to reflect a decline.
“We knew that the White House could take executive action and we see that the Republicans do not want to do anything in Congress and we, the cities, need help,” he said to the insistent claims of funding that have raised the cities receiving immigrants, mainly with mayorships of Democratic sign.